The house we like to buy has been underpinned need some urgent advice please!

zooloo

Also just want to double check...if a vendor can't provide supporting documents for underpinning then is the onus on them to pay and provide us the documents?

shar46y

zooloo wrote: »

Also just want to double check...if a vendor can't provide supporting documents for underpinning then is the onus on them to pay and provide us the documents?

Yes, if they want to sell their house!

Also wanted to say that in the case of our house, it was underpinned in the early 90's so almost 20 years ago, and 3 owners before us! The paperwork had been carefully saved, names transferred where required, and passed from owner to owner. I would have thought that should be pretty standard for a property which had suffered subsidence if you seriously want to sell.

zooloo

Thanks Shar46y. I believe this house was also underpinned in the 1990's. I am waiting to hear back from the estate agent so I can tell him to ask the vendor.

I have a feeling though that the vendor is going to say well the valuation has come back saying that here is minor chance for subsidence again so why should we be worried?!

zooloo

Sorry when I say valuation, I mean the intial survey from our bank which includes the valuation!

shar46y

zooloo wrote: »

I have a feeling though that the vendor is going to say well the valuation has come back saying that here is minor chance for subsidence again so why should we be worried?!

Then you can ask if he really wants to sell you his house?

zooloo

True! I just spoke to the estate agent and they agreed and are going back to the vendor. Will keep you guys updated.

zooloo

Eton_Rifle wrote: »

Are you sura this is the right house for you?

I could live with the underpinning (once confidence is established) but the train line at the bottom of the garden in addition to the underpinning is making this house sound like a bit of a white elephant to me.

Yeah so when we first were looking at the property we were worried about the tube track, but then benefits of the property out weighed that negative as the house is quite spacious, very modern period house and didn't need any work. But now this underpinning is causing an issue...

zooloo

Sorry one more question guys. So just to confirm it is the responsibility of the vendor to provide a structural engineering report on their property apart from normal paper work?

Thanks

chou-chou

I don't think it's anyone's responsibility but if they want you to proceed with the purchase it's something they should do!

We bought a house in 2007 that had been underpinned in 2000. Vendors and estate agent hid the fact until quite late in the process and then seemed surprised that we were a bit miffed about it. We negotiated another few thousand off the sale price based on the difference in monthly insurance costs over a five year period between an underpinned policy and a 'normal' one.

zooloo

Has any of you guys that bought underpinned properties had issues selling it afterwards?